This article explores the five most common types of atomic models, including their history, structure, and impact on our understanding of atoms.
5 Most Common Types of Atomic Models
The study of atoms has been ongoing for centuries. Since the discovery of the atom by John Dalton in the early 1800s, numerous scientists have attempted to create models that explain the behavior of atoms. The following are the five most common types of atomic models that have been developed throughout history.
1. Dalton Atomic Model
John Dalton, a British chemist and physicist, introduced the first atomic model in the early 1800s. Dalton proposed that atoms were indivisible and indestructible particles that made up all matter. He suggested that each element had its unique atoms that could combine to form compounds.
Dalton’s model was simple and lacked details about the structure of atoms, but it provided the foundation for the modern atomic theory.
2. Thomson Atomic Model
In 1897, J.J. Thomson, a British physicist, discovered the electron, a negatively charged particle present in atoms. He proposed a model of the atom in which electrons were embedded in a positively charged sphere. This model was known as the Thomson atomic model or the “plum pudding” model.
Thomson’s model was the first to suggest that atoms were not indivisible and had a substructure. However, it failed to explain the distribution of charge within an atom.
3. Rutherford Atomic Model
Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealand-born physicist, conducted the famous gold foil experiment in 1911. He discovered that atoms had a small, dense, positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons.
Rutherford’s model was called the Rutherford atomic model or the planetary model. The electrons orbited the nucleus like planets around the sun. This model accounted for the observed behavior of atoms and explained the distribution of charge within them.
